1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicle safety systems and more particularly pertains to a new vehicular deceleration warning system for providing a warning that impending deceleration and braking may occur.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of motor vehicle safety systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, motor vehicle safety systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,431; U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,181; U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,640; U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,207; U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,333; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 342,912.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new vehicular deceleration warning system. The inventive device includes an accelerator pedal pressure sensor for detecting removal of a driver""s foot pressure from the accelerator pedal. The sensor comprises a housing. The housing includes a bottom wall with a substantially planar bottom for securely removably mounting on a front surface of the pedal. The housing also includes a top wall with a substantially planar top surface for pressing a foot against. A first plate is mounted in the housing adjacent to the top wall of the housing. A second plate is mounted in the housing adjacent to the bottom wall of the housing. A biasing means is provided for biasing the second plate away from the first plate. A signaling means is provided for visually warning the following vehicle of the impending deceleration of the first vehicle. The signaling means is adapted to illuminate when activated. The signaling means is mountable in a window of the first vehicle. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a switch mounted on the plates that activates the signaling means when a driver removes pressure from the accelerator pedal and causes the switch to close.
In these respects, the vehicular deceleration warning system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a warning that impending deceleration and braking may occur.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of motor vehicle safety systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new vehicular deceleration warning system construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing a warning that impending deceleration and braking may occur.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the motor vehicle safety systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new vehicular deceleration warning system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art motor vehicle safety systems, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an accelerator pedal pressure sensor for detecting removal of a driver""s foot pressure from the accelerator pedal. The sensor comprises a housing. The housing includes a bottom wall with a substantially planar bottom for securely removably mounting on a front surface of the pedal. The housing also includes a top wall with a substantially planar top surface for pressing a foot against. A first plate is mounted in the housing adjacent to the top wall of the housing. A second plate is mounted in the housing adjacent to the bottom wall of the housing. A biasing means is provided for biasing the second plate away from the first plate. A signaling means is provided for visually warning the following vehicle of the impending deceleration of the first vehicle. The signaling means is adapted to illuminate when activated. The signaling means is mountable in a window of the first vehicle. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a switch mounted on the plates that activates the signaling means when a driver removes pressure from the accelerator pedal and causes the switch to close.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the motor vehicle safety systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new vehicular deceleration warning system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art motor vehicle safety systems, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such vehicular deceleration warning system economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system for providing a warning that impending deceleration and braking may occur.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system which includes an accelerator pedal pressure sensor for detecting removal of a driver""s foot pressure from the accelerator pedal. The sensor comprises a housing. The housing includes a bottom wall with a substantially planar bottom for securely removably mounting on a front surface of the pedal. The housing also includes a top wall with a substantially planar top surface for pressing a foot against. A first plate is mounted in the housing adjacent to the top wall of the housing. A second plate is mounted in the housing adjacent to the bottom wall of the housing. A biasing means is provided for biasing the second plate away from the first plate. A signaling means is provided for visually warning the following vehicle of the impending deceleration of the first vehicle. The signaling means is adapted to illuminate when activated. The signaling means is mountable in a window of the first vehicle. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a switch mounted on the plates that activates the signaling means when a driver removes pressure from the accelerator pedal and causes the switch to close.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system that would reduce the potential of injury due to an accident caused because of a decelerating vehicle slowing suddenly without the application of the brakes.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicular deceleration warning system that permits following drivers to anticipate the possible application of the brakes, and provides drivers with enough advance time to plan a maneuver around a decelerating vehicle.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.